DUI Charges Involving Accidents and Injuries in Georgia

DUI Charges Involving Accidents and Injuries in Georgia

Getting arrested for DUI is scary enough, but if you cause an accident or injure someone while driving drunk, the consequences can be devastating. As a Georgia resident, it’s important to understand how DUI charges work when accidents and injuries are involved so you can get the best legal help if you ever find yourself in this situation.

DUI Basics in Georgia

Let’s start with the basics. In Georgia, the legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08. If you’re caught driving at or above this limit, you can be charged with DUI. For commercial drivers, the limit is even lower at .04. Refusing to take a breathalyzer or blood test can also lead to DUI charges in Georgia. A first offense DUI is typically a misdemeanor with up to 12 months in jail, fines up to $1,000, and a 6-12 month license suspension [3].

Now here’s where it gets serious – if you cause an accident while driving impaired, the charges quickly escalate beyond a simple DUI. Let’s look at some common scenarios:

Serious Injury by Vehicle

If you cause serious bodily harm to another person due to driving drunk or recklessly, you can be charged with Serious Injury by Vehicle [1]. This is a felony charge in Georgia punishable by 1-15 years in prison. Even injuring your own passenger can lead to a felony charge and long jail time. Some examples of “serious injury” are loss of vision, broken bones, or brain damage [6].

Homicide by Vehicle

If someone dies because of your drunk or reckless driving, you may face a Homicide by Vehicle charge. Like Serious Injury by Vehicle, this is a felony with 3-15 years in prison per death caused [2]. So if your actions lead to multiple deaths, you could serve consecutive sentences.

Feticide by Vehicle

If an expectant mother loses her baby due to your drunk or reckless driving, you could be charged with Feticide by Vehicle. This is a felony in Georgia with 3-15 years in prison [2].

Hit and Run

Fleeing the scene of a DUI accident leads to additional felony charges. Hit and Run carries 1-5 years in prison on top of other charges [2].

Other Consequences

Beyond jail time, a DUI accident can impact your life in many ways:

• License suspension up to 5 years
• No limited driving permit
• Skyrocketing auto insurance rates or policy cancellation
• Job loss
• Difficulty finding future employment
• Civil lawsuit from injured parties

The injured party can sue you for damages like medical bills, lost wages, and pain/suffering. Even if you’re found not guilty criminally, you can still lose a civil case which awards monetary damages [2].

Getting Legal Help

If you caused a DUI accident in Georgia, getting experienced legal help is crucial. A conviction can put you behind bars for years and leave you with a felony record. An attorney may be able to get charges reduced or even dismissed. For example, if there are issues with how evidence was collected or how field sobriety tests were administered, those could invalidate the DUI charge. Without the underlying DUI, additional charges like Serious Injury by Vehicle also go away [1].

A knowledgeable lawyer understands both the criminal and civil legal systems and can guide you through the process while building the strongest defense. Don’t go it alone against the power of the state – get professional help on your side. The stakes are too high not to. With an experienced criminal defense attorney, you may be able to avoid jail time and begin piecing your life back together.

Here are some great resources to learn more about Georgia DUI law involving accidents:

• Accidents and Serious Injuries by Vehicle in Georgia [1]
• Are Penalties Different if an Accident is Involved? [2]
• Accidents [3]
• DUI with Serious Injury in Georgia [4]
• DUI with Injuries [5]
• Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia [6]

I hope this overview gives you a better understanding of the serious consequences of causing an impaired driving accident in Georgia. Protect yourself and your future by making the smart choice to always designate a sober driver. And if you find yourself facing DUI charges related to an accident, consult with a criminal defense lawyer right away.